54 Small Kitchen Ideas to Steal So You Never Feel Claustrophobic Again
Ceiling-high cabinets and mirrored backsplashes can work wonders.
A spacious kitchen with sky-high ceilings and ample natural light is the absolute dream. However, most of us have to make do with awkward layouts and less-than-ideal storage space. But a small kitchen doesn't have to be so bad. In fact, with the right small-space solutions and functional design ideas, it won't matter what square footage you're working with. Ahead, we've rounded up more than 50 clever and chic small kitchen ideas to pull inspiration from so that you never feel like a claustrophobic cook again. We promise these tricks will help you make the most of your counter space and cabinetry—and they might even make you want to spend even more time in your kitchen.
For more small space inspiration:
Choose a Light Wood
Designer Annie Anderson used cerused oak cabinetry and Breccia Viola marble in her dream kitchen, giving the space a larger feel thanks to the lighter colors. With the natural sunlight streaming in through the window, the lack of curtains also helps make the room feel more spacious.
Make It Monochromatic
Monochromatic spaces, especially with a lighter color, can make a space feel bigger than it actually is. Designer Ashley Gilbreath chose a pale, powder blue—Languid Blue by Sherwin-Williams to be exact—to coat her kitchen, making it feel lighter in the process.
Install Floating Shelves
Rather than putting cabinets on the wall, install floating shelves to give everything a designated place without blocking the light and adding unnecessary shadows, like Banner Day Interiors did in this home-turned-office. Hiding clutter is great—you can't let the world know you have things, after all—but in an already tight space, adding in bulky cabinets will only make the room feel smaller.
Utilize Those Weird Alcoves
Put your snack bar/wet bar/coffee bar in that weird little alcove so you can save on counter space while simultaneously creating some more. Designer Betsy Wentz created this little nook and gave it some character and dimension by adding wallpaper into the nook rather than keeping it the same color as the walls surrounding it.
Use Island Storage
In this floating house, there wasn't any way to expand the existing spaces, so in order to give this small kitchen a less cluttered feel, designer Colleen Saglimbeni put in an island with an unexpected nook for storage. Cabinets in islands are not revolutionary, but when adding an extra shelving unit isn't possible, choosing an island with built-in shelves is a creative way to store often-used items without adding clutter.
Go All White
Combining the monochromatic color scheme with the light features, you'll find yourself with a seemingly expansive kitchen, no matter the true size. Elizabeth Pash designer this modern and inviting space with tiny pops of powder blue throughout and by using a lot of different textures to create dimension.
Embrace Its Charm
Sometimes, charm and aesthetics beats out practicality when it comes to home design, and in this kitchen, beauty won. For Francesca Grace, the beautiful tile in her small kitchen was simply too beautiful to get rid of, so she had to stick with cosmetic changes to make her house livable up to her standards. Though the room isn't the most spacious, it's projects like these that prove bigger doesn't always mean better.
Streamline the Space
Opting for an all-white kitchen can instantly make a space feel bigger thanks to the shade's light-reflecting nature. Smooth, glossy cabinet fronts (no hardware here) and a cooktop set in matching countertops maximizes the gleaming effect that fashion designer Liz Lange was going for.
Make Your Own Island
In this small kitchen by designer Corinne Mathern Studio, a counter-height work table doubles as an island and eating space. You can easily push a piece like this against the wall or move it out of the room anytime it starts to feel cramped.
Paint Each Portion
Here's a playful way to designate a kitchen's different zones and make it appear bigger: Use three blue shades to create depth, as designer Garrow Kedigian did here. Stretching the lightest one up to the ceiling emphasizes its height, making this space feel airy.
Lighten Up
To ground a small kitchen without making it feel cave-like, BHDM Design used a dark color on only the bottom half, and swapped for a lighter shade on top. Natural wood connects this space to the forest outside.
Paint the Floor
To open up this kitchen, designer Kevin Isbell painted an oversize glossy checkered print on the floor. The light, bright colors coordinate perfectly with the cafe curtain fabric.
Install a Set of Doors
Take a note from designer Matthew Ferrarini, and install pocket doors to hide your kitchen's hardest working wall when you're not cooking or cleaning up. We love this idea for open floor plans and studio apartments.
Cover the Clutter
Have a farmhouse sink or exposed plumbing that has seen better days? Skirt the issue. That is, install a sink skirt hide the mess, the way they did in old English country kitchens and the way Leanne Ford did here.
Utilize Your Island
The hangout side of an island can absolutely work harder, or at least that's what the designers at Hecker Guthrie think. Design it with cabinets instead of a solid slab of wood, and it's ideal for storing not-so-frequently-used items.
Choose a Happy Color
To make a narrow galley kitchen feel more intentional (and less like a dark alcove), do like designer Nickey Kehoe did and install statement pendant lights. This ombré pair brightens it from end to end and draws eyes up.
Create an Appliance Garage
Don't have much counter space? Consider adding an appliance garage within your cabinetry as designer Natalie Chong did in her former Toronto townhouse. The cubby held her Nespresso machine. Underneath, a push-to-open wood panel hid a Vitamix.
Make It Double as a Mudroom
For a Georgia kitchen connected to a back door, designer Laura Jenkins turned some cabinets near the built-in refrigerator into a mudroom closet. The seamless construction also hides a coffee station and pantry, making the room feel larger.
Maintain a Neutral Palette
With a neutral-leaning color palette, your kitchen can feel more open and serene. Just take note of this tranquil kitchen by Lauren Nelson Design, which incorporates handmade tile, marble countertops, and cabinetry in Benjamin Moore's Caldwell Green that subtly reference the outdoors.
Build In Kitchen Necessities
In this kitchen designed by Sarah Robertson, a slide-in cutting board and drying rack flank the range—making cooking a total breeze. Not to mention cleanup: You never have to worry about fitting them into other drawers or cabinets.
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